MUSIC SCHOOL COULD BE ‘BEACON FOR CULTURE IN THE CITY’
Latest plans for a new St Mary’s Music School in the old Royal High School complex on Regent Road were made public last night for the first time.
Willie Gray Muir, chair of the Royal High School Preservation Trust (RHSPT), presented them in advance of a full planning application, to be submitted probably at the end of this month.
Notable elements of architect Richard Murphy’s proposals include:
- a new foyer area beneath the Hamilton building’s central main hall, to be reached via existing entrances at ground level on Regent Road
- a main hall retaining most of its essential features, and with original staircases up to the balconies restored
- main hall to provide flexible performance space in a variety of adjustable configurations for audiences of up to 250
- re-opening of the door in the south-facing portico, and new public access to terraces
- three hexagonal ‘pepper-pot’ pods providing rehearsal space to the rear of the Hamilton building
- demolition and replacement of the current eastern block with school buildings arranged mostly in single-storey (max. two-storey) buildings arranged around two small greens
- pedestrianisation and repaving of the north side of Regent Road
- public access to an open recreation area at the west end of the site.
Images of the new proposals will not be available for another week or two.
'Key advantages'
Richard Murphy was appointed lead architect for the project in September, and his approach – says Muir – offers a number of key advantages over previous outline proposals.
The new foyer would provide a dramatic entrance, ticketing and assembly point for the public performance areas of the complex. Crucially, it would be all but invisible from the south.
The foyer would be available for school use at other times.
The new foyer arrangement would remove the need for an unsatisfactory glazed ‘battery pack’ addition at the back.
New school buildings to the east would be low and extensive, rather than high and compact. Again, this would reduce their visual impact.
Questions and compromises
The reaction from those attending last night’s meeting of the New Town & Broughton Community Council was mostly welcoming, although Muir also faced questions about:
- the expense and complexity of mechanical stage manipulation (fully funded, said Muir)
- the visual impact of railings or barriers on south-facing terraces (a necessary compromise)
- to what extent acoustic additions would eventually affect the appearance of performance areas within the Hamilton building (any such measures would not form part of this application, but would be treated sensitively later)
- the loss of the listed eastern block (justifiable as essential to the future use of the complex).
Timing and tactics
The latest proposals’ public outing last night forms part of a carefully orchestrated campaign.
Detailed planning and listed building consent applications will be submitted to the Council around the end of November. (Plans and artist impressions will be available at that stage.) RHSPT's application will then run in parallel with that of Duddingston House Properties and the Urbanist Group.
RHSPT's application will present a clear and fully funded alternative to the rival scheme for a luxury hotel which is due for consideration by the Development Management Subcommittee on 17 December. RHSPT's submission will include a full Environmental Impact Assessment, and has already cost in the region of £500,000 to assemble.
RHSPT means to go public soon with the ‘overwhelmingly positive’ reaction to its latest proposals from the Edinburgh Urban Design Panel.
One way or another, once the Development Management Subcommittee has consented or refused the hotel scheme, the case will probably be considered by the Scottish Government. If a CEC decision to refuse consent for the hotel were then upheld, CEC's 'suspensive' contract with the developers could be terminated.
Thereafter, City of Edinburgh Council could sell the old Royal High School to the RHSPT so long as a clear public benefit in so doing could be demonstrated. At that stage, the Trust would invite the Council and other local bodies onto its board in order to ensure public accountability in future.
Willie Gray Muir (above-right) describes the plans as an opportunity to make a positive statement about Edinburgh’s built heritage, and to create a new ‘beacon for culture in the city’.
Got a view? Tell us at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk and @theSpurtle and Facebook
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Elizabeth Bevan Please, for the sake of the young people of Edinburgh, Scotland and indeed beyond, help this to happen and keep a sense of real values.
Bill Dunlop It would be the obvious solution and ensure Thomson's masterpiece remained virtually intact, but of course, we are dealing with City of Edinburgh Council...
Cockburn Association shared Broughton Spurtle's photo.Broughton Spurtle sings the praises of the St Mary's Music School plans for the Old Royal High School
we will be discussing the plans at a meeting this evening
Lorraine Moore This is the perfect solution
Christina Thayers Not too keen on the design of the low rises ! Something with stone and in keeping would sit better in my view
Neale Gilhooley Tick x 4
Dominic Berry Looking at that photo [from Canongate kirkyard], I wonder how those ugly shacks in the lower half of the picture were allowed to happen. That must have been a conservation battle lost. But the swanky hotel would do far worse damage, of course.
Jan McClements This is definitely a much better idea .
oldRoyalHigh Retweeted Broughton Spurtle
Sweet dreams instead of the @oldRHShotel nightmare.
.@theSpurtle It would be great if this proposal was approved - far better than yet another ugly hotel.
Evelyn Love-Gajardo Then they'll turn the lovely old Music School building into a boutique hotel.
@STVEdinburgh @EwenDCameron @hayleymatthws @theSpurtle brilliant exclusive. Back you all the way for the Royal High not to be hotel.
Anna Stapleton Great solution
Gregor Neil Robertson St Mary's Music School is the best possible occupant of this wonderful building and south facing location. They were made for each other. Our Council and the Scottish Government must make this happen.
Catherine Mein (Sent from my iPhone): Sounds wonderful! I do hope it goes ahead!